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There’s a moment early in every race where everything feels easy.
Your legs are fresh. The pace feels smooth. People around you are surging, and there’s that quiet voice in your head saying, “Go with them… you feel great.” And that’s exactly where most races go wrong. Two Finishes That Tell the Story The Los Angeles Marathon At the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon, the race didn’t explode early—it unfolded slowly. Nathan Martin wasn’t the one forcing the pace. He wasn’t making bold moves at mile 5 or 10. He was doing something much quieter: staying under control. Up ahead, Kimani Kamau looked like the stronger runner for most of the day. But over the final miles, that early effort began to show. The pace dipped—just enough. Martin, who had kept something in reserve, began to close. Step by step. Meter by meter. And in the final stride, after more than two hours of racing, he nipped Kamau at the line by 0.01 seconds! Not because he was reckless early. Because he was strong late. Roughly a month later, a different race told the same story in the triathlon world. Ironman 70.3 Oceanside At 2026 Oceanside 70.3 this past weekend, American Sam Long did what he does best—he blew the race apart on the bike. He had a record bike split that put time into everyone. However, behind him, the current Ironman World Champion Casper Stornes showed why he holds that most coveted tiled in our sport. He was well paced. As Sam began to feel the toll of a blistering bike split, he began to slow in the last few miles. The gap began to shrink. In the final 200 meters, it disappeared. After over 70 miles of racing, Stornes ran past Long to take the final podium spot. Sam had spent most of the day in the lead or in second place, but ultimately found himself in fourth by a mere 12 seconds. The old adage holds true: We bike for show, but run for dough. Both races tell the same story: One athlete spends early. The other saves—and closes. Pacing isn’t about holding back. It’s about having something left when it matters most. How to Avoid the Blow-Up Most athletes- whether professionals, age group athletes, or weekend warriors- don’t fail from poor fitness—they fail from poor execution- and that includes pacing. Here’s how to fix it: 1) Race within yourself Know your numbers. Whether it’s heart rate, pace, power, or RPE—understand what you can actually sustain for the full distance. The goal is to race your race, not someone else’s. Knowing what you are capable of is key. 2) Make a plan—and set limits Don’t just hope it works out. Decide where you’ll hold back and where you’ll push. Sometimes that means hard caps—like refusing to run faster than a certain pace in the first third of the race. Counterintuitive when you’re feeling really good, but critically important. The best races are often the most controlled early. 3) Build discipline—and flexibility Discipline keeps you from going too hard too soon. Flexibility lets you capitalize when the moment is right. Most of us aren’t racing for prize money—but we are chasing our best. That takes practice: learning when to stay patient, and when to step outside your comfort zone and go. We can do this by being intentional in our training, and building in specific workouts to test both. Your Race So remember, the early miles reward excitement but the final miles reward discipline. Next time you race, hold a little back. Trust your plan. Let others surge. And when it matters—when the race actually begins—you’ll be the one still moving forward. Because no one remembers who led early. They remember who finished strong. Comments are closed.
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